Happiness

( 2 )

Overview

After his 1995 breakthrough, Welcome to the Dollhouse, director Todd Solondz was courted by a number of studios to make a big-budget film with top stars. Instead, he chose to make this aggressively dark comedy-drama of perversions and twisted lives. Andy Kornbluth Jon Lovitz explodes with anger after rejection in a restaurant from Joy Jordan Jane Adams, one of a trio of middle-class New Jersey sisters. Joy's sister Trish Cynthia Stevenson, a housewife with three kids, is married to psychiatrist Bill Dylan Baker, ...
See more details below
Available through our Marketplace sellers.
See All Options
Other sellers (VHS)
  • All (2) from $1.99   
  • Used (2) from $1.99   
Close
Sort by
Page 1 of 1
Showing All
Note: Marketplace items are not eligible for any BN.com coupons and promotions
$1.99
Wonder Book
Seller since 2008

Feedback rating:

(14738)

Condition:

New — never opened or used in original packaging.

Like New — packaging may have been opened. A "Like New" item is suitable to give as a gift.

Very Good — may have minor signs of wear on packaging but item works perfectly and has no damage.

Good — item is in good condition but packaging may have signs of shelf wear/aging or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Acceptable — item is in working order but may show signs of wear such as scratches or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Used — An item that has been opened and may show signs of wear. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Refurbished — A used item that has been renewed or updated and verified to be in proper working condition. Not necessarily completed by the original manufacturer.

Very Good
Ex-Rental. Very Good condition. VHS Tape. Case Good. Original artwork may contain stickers or shelfware. Quality guaranteed!

Ships from: Frederick, MD

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
GuthrieBooks
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(251)

Condition: Very Good
031398699934 031398699934 VHS tape. Note: we rate the cassette not the condition of the box.

Ships from: Spring Branch, TX

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
Page 1 of 1
Showing All
Close
Sort by

More About This Product

Overview

After his 1995 breakthrough, Welcome to the Dollhouse, director Todd Solondz was courted by a number of studios to make a big-budget film with top stars. Instead, he chose to make this aggressively dark comedy-drama of perversions and twisted lives. Andy Kornbluth Jon Lovitz explodes with anger after rejection in a restaurant from Joy Jordan Jane Adams, one of a trio of middle-class New Jersey sisters. Joy's sister Trish Cynthia Stevenson, a housewife with three kids, is married to psychiatrist Bill Dylan Baker, who counsels the lonely, overweight Allen Philip Seymour Hoffman. Allen is obsessed with Joy's other sister, the successful poet Helen Lara Flynn Boyle, all the while ignoring the attentions of his seemingly sweet yet overweight neighbor Kristina Camryn Manheim. Bill has fantasies of turning an assault rifle on families in a park, masturbates to teen magazine photos, and develops an unhealthy interest in a classmate of his 11-year-old son, Billy Rufus Read. After a telephone sales job, Joy moves on to substitute teach at an adult education class, where she falls prey to the advances of an insensitive cabdriver, Vlad Jared Harris. Allen's series of obscene phone calls to Helen come to an end when she challenges him to come next door and carry out his sexual threats. Meanwhile, the sisters' parents, Lenny and Mona Jordan Ben Gazzara and Louise Lasser, find their marriage collapsing after 40 years. Lenny has sparked the interest of divorcée Diane Freed Elizabeth Ashley, but he actually would prefer to be alone. The path to happiness, it seems, is littered with dreams, despair, and abnormalities. Winner of the International Critics' prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, Happiness met with much controversy both in pre-production and upon its release, as chronicled in producer Christine Vachon's book Shooting to Kill.
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide
Easily one of the 1990s' most controversial films, Happiness evoked a broad range of opinions and emotions. Writer/director Todd Solondz, who debuted with Welcome to the Dollhouse, a portrait of suburbia as the site of a young girl's misery, followed it up with this troubling and thought-provoking exploration of the unhappiness that lurks behind the facades of normality. Some viewers objected to (or were impressed by) the frank depictions and descriptions of sex and masturbation, others were disturbed (or impressed) by the very idea of humanizing a pedophile by showing us the world through his eyes, and still others were troubled (or exhilarated) by that fact that they were laughing through it all. Where some critics saw daring originality, others saw self-conscious shock. Diverse story lines are skillfully balanced, and Solondz coaxes great performances from his varied cast. Love it or hate it, few viewers could deny Solondz's success in ensuring that a scene in which the pederast explains himself to his son is one of the most chilling and unforgettable of the decade. The movie may not always be pleasant to watch, but it is startlingly effective in making us consider the banal evil that goes hand in hand with our quest for happiness.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • Release Date: 11/23/1999
  • UPC: 031398699934
  • Original Release: 1998

    • Rating:

  • Source: Vidmark / Trimark
  • Format: VHS

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Jane Adams Joy Jordan
Dylan Baker Bill Maplewood
Lara Flynn Boyle Helen Jordan
Ben Gazzara Lenny Jordan
Jared Harris Vlad
Philip Seymour Hoffman Allen
Jon Lovitz Andy Kornbluth
Marla Maples Ann Chambeau
Cynthia Stevenson Trish Maplewood
Elizabeth Ashley Diane Freed
Louise Lasser Mona Jordan
Camryn Manheim Kristina
Rufus Read Billy Maplewood
Anne Bobby Rhonda
Dan Moran Joe Grasso
Evan Silverberg Johnny Grasso
Technical Credits
Todd Solondz Director, Screenwriter
Maryse Alberti Cinematographer
John Bruce Art Director
Neil Danziger Sound/Sound Designer
Therese DePrez Production Designer
Nicholas Evans Set Decoration/Design
Jude Gorjanc Asst. Director
Ann Goulder Casting
Ted Hope Producer
Susan Jacobs Musical Direction/Supervision
Robbie Kondor Score Composer
David Linde Executive Producer
Kathryn Nixon Costumes/Costume Designer
Alan Oxman Editor
Jim Ryan Animator
James Schamus Executive Producer
Christine Vachon Producer
Damien Volpe Sound/Sound Designer
Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 2 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(1)

4 Star

(1)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
Sort by: Showing all of 2 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Dive into your neighbors life

    When you watch this, you think 'oh how sick' and 'what a twisted movie'. But in reality we all have our quirks and secrets that we don't want our neighbors to know. This movie exposes some of that and the daily happenings of the misguided people we are and the people we think we know.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Very Good Movie

    Although at many times disturbing, this movie is a delight. The director (Welcome to Dollhouse) creates a movie that really captures the extremes of some people's lives.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Sort by: Showing all of 2 Customer Reviews